Cold Lake City Hall – File Photo
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Cold Lake blossomed to the fullest and took home first place in Communities in Bloom nationally.
Across Canada, municipalities were judged, and Cold Lake’s Kinosoo Beach Enhancement Project was awarded with a “Five Blooms – Silver” rating, putting it in first place for areas with less than 20,000 population.
“We’re so proud of our staff and community,” said Mayor Craig Copeland. “The work that is put in to making our city stand out is a year-round effort, and this put us on the map of beautiful and sustainable places to see.”
Cold Lake was up against three other short-listed municipalities: Chipman, NB, Provost, AB, and Wolseley, SK. Over the summer, volunteer judges travel to participating communities for evaluations. These judges not only look at municipal efforts in floral displays, but also community partnerships with industry, businesses, and third-party initiatives such as community gardens.
The award was accepted by a representative from the City of Cold Lake Parks staff and Councillor Vicky Lefebvre at a ceremony in Fort McMurray on Sept. 29.
“We owe a debt of gratitude to the Cold Lake Communities in Bloom and Environmental Society, to the judges who travelled to the participating communities, and to the City staff whose dedication and hard work have made so much progress in our city over the years,” Copeland said. “Ultimately the award recognizes everyone’s hard work and the pride that our residents take in our community.”
Communities were marked on general community appearance, environmental action, heritage conservation, tree management, landscape, as well as plant and floral displays.
Communities in Bloom is a volunteer and partnership-driven organization that uses a multi-tiered competitive evaluation process to foster community strength, involvement and continuous improvement. This is accomplished by nurturing environmental sustainability, enhancements of green spaces, and heritage conservation, in cultural and natural environments encompassing municipal, residential, commercial, and institutional spaces.
For more information on Communities in Bloom, visit www.communitiesinbloom.ca
